SYDNEY — Australia picked three newcomers Monday to cover the absence of fast bowling spearheads Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood for their one-day series in South Africa this month.
Selectors included Victorian Chris Tremain and South Australians Joe Mennie and Daniel Worrall in a 15-man squad after deciding to rest Starc and Hazlewood after the recent Test and ODI series in Sri Lanka.
Starc and Hazlewood have been given time off to refresh ahead of the Australian summer season, while Usman Khawaja, Moises Henriques and Nathan Lyon were left out of the South Africa-bound squad.
"Chris, Joe and Daniel all had terrific summers last year and have also impressed us during the recent Australia A series with consistent performances," chief selector Rod Marsh said.
"They are young players with a bright future who thoroughly deserve their selection.
"We look forward to seeing them work with John Hastings and Scott Boland, who have both performed well for Australia since returning from injury."
Captain Steve Smith, who was rested from the Sri Lanka tour after the second of five ODIs, returns to lead the side in South Africa.
The tour comprises six ODIs with the first against Ireland on Sept. 27 followed by five against South Africa beginning on Sept. 30.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, George Bailey, Scott Boland, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Joe Mennie, Chris Tremain, Matthew Wade, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa.
Finch, Lynn out of T20s
Australia batsmen Aaron Finch and Chris Lynn have been ruled out of the two-match Twenty20 series in Sri Lanka with injuries.
Finch broke his right index finger when fielding in the final ODI against the host in Kandy Sunday, while Lynn suffered another injury to his troublesome left shoulder.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Matthew Wade would stay on in Sri Lanka to replace Lynn for the T20s and George Bailey would remain for the first before returning home, Cricket Australia said.
The shoulder problem is another cruel blow for 26-year-old Queenslander Lynn, who made his international debut with a T20 match against England in Jan. 2014 but has been limited to five matches since.
He had surgery for a rotator cuff problem on the shoulder in 2014 which wiped out much of his season and broke down again the following year with a similar injury sustained during a fielding drill.
Australia won the one-day series 4-1 to shore up top spot in the world rankings. — Agencies
